


Stone Flesh

by RavenAurelieChoiseau



Category: Original Work, Raven's Wand
Genre: Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters, Alternate Universe - Wolves, Curses, Declarations Of Love, Ficlet, Forbidden Love, Historical Fantasy, Implied Relationships, Implied/Referenced Sex, Inspired by Art, Kissing, Love, M/M, Magic, Mutual Pining, Night, Pining, Ravens, Scotland, Winter, Witches, Wolves, brittania - Freeform, caledonia - Freeform, caledonian forest, forest, highlands, idea for a longer story, keeper of the wolves, men kissing, wolves who turn into men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-02
Updated: 2019-12-02
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:33:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21648355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RavenAurelieChoiseau/pseuds/RavenAurelieChoiseau
Summary: In order to preserve Brittania's wolf population, (threatened due to dire times and eager hunters), local witches put a spell on the remaining wolves, trapping them within stone and wood. A century has passed and still, periodically, the wolves need to be "awakened" by the protector, otherwise they risk to never return to their animate form again.Caden MacFhearghail is a warlock, the latest in a long line of "Keepers of the Wolves." In his family this is an honor only given to the most trustworthy.Caden thought it would be a simple duty... until he fell in love with Finley Gallach, a shapeshifter accidentally caught in the spell while in wolf form.Now he has to choose between breaking his ancestral promise and true love. Are the consequences he might suffer worth his heart's happiness?
Relationships: Caden/Finley, Original Character(s)/Original Character(s), Original Male Character/Original Male Character
Comments: 12
Kudos: 36





	Stone Flesh

**Author's Note:**

> An idea I'm toying with for a longer story but I thought I'd just post a short preview prologue first.

There is a shudder of movement from the branches above them. Caden knows it’s only an owl, doesn’t bother looking. Finley shifts, though, lifting his bearded chin from Caden’s strong breast to peer among the trees that lean over them drunkenly. Their branches scrape against the night sky like crookedly curled claws.  
  
There’s a pensive shimmer in the shadow of Finley’s ivy eyes as he scans the heavens.  
“Tis only an owl, Fin,” Caden whispers. Indeed, a second later wings flap and a hoot fills whatever silence the fire’s crackle leaves. Lips surprisingly soft and sensitive rest on Finley’s forehead in a gesture of comfort.  
“I told you. It's not the raven.”  
 _Not yet.  
_  
Finley lets out a sigh of relief, raising his freckled face until his lips hover just above Caden’s. The warlock’s warm hands pull him nearer, the furs covering their naked bodies wrapped tightly around their massive shoulders.  
If he could keep him here like this, Caden thinks. All to himself…  
In the flesh.  
His beautiful Fin.  
  
“How much longer?” Finley muses, almost as if he’s reading the other’s mind. There’s really no need to enquire. He knows how long. And even if he didn’t, the raven will soon show and announce the end. Fin just thinks maybe asking will miraculously make it last an infinity.  
  
“A couple more hours until the dawn,” Caden replies in a tone burdened with need. Finley blinks and the scene steadies, but only for a moment. His large, sleepy eyes stray over Caden’s beautiful chiseled face, loving him with only a gaze.  
Moss and amber and starry hope. The reflection of their souls locked in their eyes.  
  
“Cade… “ his breath is a thin fog that slowly dissipates in the space between them. Parting his lips, Caden lowers his eager mouth and grinds into Finley’s. Helplessly they moan as their tongues probe and strong fingers grip taut muscle.  
Finley lets Caden possess him fully, just like he did his body earlier.  
 _Oh the craving_ … it’s like a serpent tightening further and further around them until neither can draw proper breath.  
  
Fin breaks. “Caden… I don’t want to go back.” Shaky and forlorn, he buries his burning face against the warlock’s shoulder, falling further into the solid strength of his lover’s arms. “Don’t make me. You can reverse the spell. Let me be human again, _please_ … let me be _yours_.”  
  
His heart strings are one long quiver. Caden kisses the top of his head, hair wet like dew and scenting of pine.  
It would be so easy, he tells himself. The part that loves Finley… the part that counts the moons and fills his dreams with visions of Finley Gallach would like nothing else than to gift him this.  
Gift them both this.  
Caden could. And it’s not that he hasn’t thought about it. God, each time he wakes Finley he grows dangerously closer to ceding.   
But the curse. The consequence. This is his responsibility... his family’s legacy.  
  
How could he ever explain why this time, THIS exception mattered?!  
  
"It matters because you love him!" his very essence screams. "It matters because he is the One."   
  
The tight knot within him begs for release. Caden is tired of waiting... of wanting. He's tired of following some century-old tradition that has done nothing but cause pain.  
They deserve a chance. They deserve happiness.  
“I’ll do it," he sibilates.   
  
The soft voice brings his lover upright with a jerk. Rags of excitement pull at Fin’s temples and he closes his eyes, trying to steady the sudden irrational wave of panic filling him.  
 _He won’t change his mind, right? He said it. He said it. God please don’t let him change his mind...  
  
_ “Fin look at me,” Caden beckons. “Look at me."  
Finley does... drags his attention until he loses himself in two saucered azure pools.  
"I’ll do it. Fin. I mean it. I love you Finley Gallach and I'm going to set you free.”

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by an oracle card called "Commitments" from the "Raven's Wand" oracle deck by Steven Hutton. The male characters are of my creation.


End file.
